The Journey Home and a Suitcase Too Small...

My return date is approaching, and I'm starting to gather my things to return to Spain and continue my internship in Leonardo after my stay in Belgium. To come here, I had a few clothes, Spanish food (Chorizo, Jamón serrano (Chato Murciano), Lomo... ) I no longer had this food to go back, and so it seemed that everything would be fine for going back in terms of luggage. I just had to stop buying sale items, for example, to ensure not having to wear more jumpers. Actually, when I came I already had three on my shoulders including a fleece. Let's just say I was hot... For going back, I thought I would manage doing the same thing: a bag with some jumpers to wear on my shoulders when going through security at the airport. Sadly I also had three other things to take back for a friend who had left them in Belgium. And I don't know how my suitcase was arranged, but I never managed to fill the Tetris blocks like I did when leaving. And so I found myself with six jumpers to put on my shoulders, and a huge suitcase that was closed as much as I could... but that was without taking into account that I had forgotten to pack my toiletries and pyjamas! Let's see how I'll be able to manage to bring everything back, bearing in mind that the problem is not the weight, but rather the size of the suitcase and its contents.

In the end I finally managed to close this damn suitcase, with three scarves on my neck, boots on my feet, my belt on my waist even though I don't need it, the six jumpers to put on my shoulders when checking in, and a sandwich sticking halfway out of my pocket...

I'm taking the plane at Maastricht from Liege to go to Alicante and take a bus to Murcie. Here is how my return will go when it comes to the journeys:

First of all I take the train. You can take it from Liege-Palais station, Jonfosse or Guillemins. If you get on at Liege-Palais or Jonfosse, you have to change at Guillemins. The best thing to do, if you haven't had a ticket inspection, is to buy your ticket then as it's more expensive when you buy it on the train. But as there is no ticket office at Jonfosse it may be the same price when you leave from there. However there is a ticket office at Liege-Palais so if you say you want to buy a ticket "from Liege-Palais", you'll pay more.

Next, once I'm at Guillemins I change trains and take the one bound for Maastricht. I can't use the Go-pass (ten journeys for fifty euros), as it's an international train since Maastricht is in The Netherlands. The journey lasts for around thirty minutes from Guillemins, and fifty minutes from Jonfosse (as you have to change and wait for about fifteen minutes at Guillemins). So I buy a one-way ticket with a large family discount (if you have the card at least). Without discounts the ticket cost around seven euros, and with the discount it is half price, so three euro fifty maximum.

Once I've arrived in Maastricht, I get off the train to go to the station on the left, where there are all the bus stops. I walk down to the end to wait for the 59 bus. This goes to the airport. There is also another but you have to change and I prefer just taking the direct bus to not get lost. This bus takes a good thirty minutes or so to arrive at the airport. There is a bus every twenty minutes (the direct one). The name of the company is Voelia and you'll find the bus times on the following site: http://www.veolia-transport.nl/nederland/index.html. Be aware that there are different times for the weekend.

Once I'm at the airport (one hour and forty minutes after having left Liege), I wait until the last minute to go through security. That way I have time to eat without having to put the food in my already jam-packed suitcase. Regarding security, they generally do not weigh luggage at Alicante but at Maastricht they almost certainly do it. So, it's better to be within the weight restrictions. However I've never been asked to put my suitcase in the little metal rectangle. At least not in Maastricht, contrary to Alicante.

Maastricht Airport is divided into two small parts (I would say mini sections, the airport is really small). From the outside you can just see a building and a little parking area in front. There's therefore not much space to park, especially when the flights are delayed and everyone parks in front of the entrance for several minutes... Here is the airport viewed from outside:

Inside, there is the first square with five escalators and a desk. There is also a main information desk but there is almost never anybody there. Two cash machines, food and drinks and that's it. There is a staircase that leads to a small café on the first floor. They have airport prices, nothing particularly special to point out. Next, beside the check-in desks you have a small queue and a person who checks the weight of your luggage and your boarding pass before letting you go to two small queues for luggage inspections. No surprises there; it's the same as security in any other airport. Next there is a bar with tables and chairs. The prices there are also the same, with a few drinks under three euros. There is also a small souvenir/perfume shop, and a bookshop opposite with books in Dutch or English and magazines. This second room is the last. Next are the windows and doors leading outside, since you have to walk on the tarmac for several metres to get on the plane.

Once landed in Alicante, I take the bus to Murcie. You have to check the bus times on the company Alsa's website (alsa.es). There aren't buses every hour, or rather, everything depends on the season - there are more during the holidays. The bus is every hour and fifteen minutes or every two hours. The journey to Murcia lasts one hour. The bus stops opposite the airport, at the stop 32 - it is indicated. Next to it, you have bus stops for Benidorm and Alicante. Tickets can be bought directly on the coach or sometimes there is a man who sells them at the stop so people can get on faster. In Spain, suitcases always go in the baggage compartment. Normally at a coach stop, the driver waits for everyone to get off to re-open the compartment. But sometimes it's not the case if there are many stops. It's better checking from the window that no-one is taking your suitcase... but up until now I have never ever heard of a case of theft. The bus stops at Murcie's coach station, in the Carmen district.

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